I kept trying to log on earlier on today but it said there was a problem with the database....

Yes it was very poorly. I reckon it had a rough night last night and didnt want to get out of bed.

there was. It fell over last night some time after 2am.

I noticed that upon its return, the visible character set had been restored to its former glory. I wonder if the data tables ended up with incorrect character sets - that sort of thing can cause no end of trouble with Latin1 -> unicode conversion getting all twisted up.

there was. It fell over last night some time after 2am.

I noticed that upon its return, the visible character set had been restored to its former glory. I wonder if the data tables ended up with incorrect character sets - that sort of thing can cause no end of trouble with Latin1 -> unicode conversion getting all twisted up.


I was thinking the same:huh:

i noticed the same as well this morning about 10am ish :huh:

I couldn't get on this morning,i tried around 7am,after finishing on nights,It said 'database error'.

It was offline for about 12 hours. :)

It was offline for about 12 hours. :)

And office based productivity in Sheffield rocketed. :hihi:

And office based productivity in Sheffield rocketed. :hihi:

How true ^^^^^

But I wonder how many times it was tried in the 12 hours it was off :D

How true ^^^^^

But I wonder how many times it was tried in the 12 hours it was off :D

Well at my desk, quite regularly :suspect: Just in case you understand :D

Well at my desk, quite regularly :suspect: Just in case you understand :D

I bet you've a right old mess today without your fix:hihi::hihi:

i have, was lost what to go on, lol

Yeah was well bored at work lol.......so did the only thing i could do work :(

there was. It fell over last night some time after 2am.

I noticed that upon its return, the visible character set had been restored to its former glory. I wonder if the data tables ended up with incorrect character sets - that sort of thing can cause no end of trouble with Latin1 -> unicode conversion getting all twisted up.

Not wanting to sound thick, but could we get that in Engish please?

I'm sorry. It was my fault. I started a thread last night about the process that occurs when people lose the will to live and just keel over and die, and the server found it so depressing it just gave up the ghost in sympathy. :hihi:

A couple of people got the wrong end of the stick and thought I wanted to kill myself (NOOOOO!) but I wasn't able to post last night or all day to explain that it wasn't a cry for help, just morbid fascination. :blush:

I thought that the SF server was unable to swallow the fact that I'd handed in my shiney badge! :)

A couple of people got the wrong end of the stick and thought I wanted to kill myself (NOOOOO!) but I wasn't able to post last night or all day to explain that it wasn't a cry for help, just morbid fascination. :blush:

Ahem, I'm one of them! However, let the record stand on the compliments that I sent to you over the airwaves. All sent in the name of girlyfriendship! :)

I thought that the SF server was unable to swallow the fact that I'd handed in my shiney badge! :)

I think there were more than a few of us thinking that Joe ;)

I'm sorry. It was my fault. I started a thread last night about the process that occurs when people lose the will to live and just keel over and die, and the server found it so depressing it just gave up the ghost in sympathy. :hihi:

A couple of people got the wrong end of the stick and thought I wanted to kill myself (NOOOOO!) but I wasn't able to post last night or all day to explain that it wasn't a cry for help, just morbid fascination. :blush:

Should have known it was your fault! I logged on at about 3 am and saw your thread about not being able to post a reply and it just went downhill from there :hihi:

So it wasn't one of the staff had pressed the wrong button and banned everybody :D

I thought that the SF server was unable to swallow the fact that I'd handed in my shiney badge! :)

Joe, I'm just curious - why did you decide to hang on to some vestige of authority rather than become merely an ordinary member?

There's no hidden agenda there, it's honestly a genuine question. You'd have more freedom as a forum member - but of course also wouldn't be able to weild the 'mod stick' if anyone displeased or crossed a line....you'd be like the rest of us!

So it wasn't one of the staff had pressed the wrong button and banned everybody :D
Maybe the Mods just wanted a short holiday:hihi:

Because we are north of the Wartford Gap we don't have proper database connectivity and rely on Royal Mail to deliver our data packets to us. Royal Mail strike means no deliveries and no data packets :( Fortunately the Sheffield Pigeon Fanciers have rallied round and set up a carrier pigeon post to deliver the packets and the Forum is back and active :) Appologies for any slightly pecked or seedy data you may get :)

Joe, I'm just curious - why did you decide to hang on to some vestige of authority rather than become merely an ordinary member?

There's no hidden agenda there, it's honestly a genuine question. You'd have more freedom as a forum member - but of course also wouldn't be able to weild the 'mod stick' if anyone displeased or crossed a line....you'd be like the rest of us!

I suggest you check what it says under my name. I finally offloaded the whole thing yesterday. Quite a few members actually suggested to me I should stay on as a Mod, but it seemed pointless. And anyway, who knows, I may one day return. ;)

I wanted to go straight from Admin to Civilian but only Geoff can do the job, the Mods wanted to thank me behind the scenes and we also needed to hand over stuff to other Mods and Medusa that I currently do.

Unless, of course, you'd have preferred me to just high tail it and dump everything in a big pile. It may be the way some people deal with handing over responsibilities, but I believe in doing things right.

As for hidden agendas - let's not go there. There are a few people on here who definitely have hidden agendas and I won't be displeased to leave that crap behind.

People who remember me from before I was a Mod know that I didn't take too many prisoners then, and I'm looking forward to getting back to not suffering morons gladly now. I no longer have to be nice to people any more. :D

Because we are north of the Wartford Gap we don't have proper database connectivity and rely on Royal Mail to deliver our data packets to us. Royal Mail strike means no deliveries and no data packets :( Fortunately the Sheffield Pigeon Fanciers have rallied round and set up a carrier pigeon post to deliver the packets and the Forum is back and active :) Appologies for any slightly pecked or seedy data you may get :)

At last! Somebody who can explain a technical problem properly, without all the usual totally confusing techno-babble and computer geekishness :hihi:

I thought that the SF server was unable to swallow the fact that I'd handed in my shiney badge! :)

We discussed that too, JoePs parting shot :hihi:

I suggest you check what it says under my name.

I stand corrected. :) I guess the forum down-time distorted people's sigs!

PS, thanks for the answer. I know I wasn't the only one wondering.

I stand corrected. :) I guess the forum down-time distorted people's sigs!

PS, thanks for the answer. I know I wasn't the only one wondering.


I know you weren't the only one wondering; the other 2 or 3 I'm aware of from posts on the Forum were from folks who had a bit of a chip on their shoulders about me, so I can handle it. :)

The vast majority of users, though, seem to have enough trust in me to let me deal with things in my own time. I said I was standing down, I've stood down, and it's taken less than a week.

Which in my mind is pretty good going.

Anyway - enough. I'm now a civillian and I'm delighted to be so. All the reasons why are in the post I made last week.

I suggest you check what it says under my name. I finally offloaded the whole thing yesterday. Quite a few members actually suggested to me I should stay on as a Mod, but it seemed pointless. And anyway, who knows, I may one day return. ;)

I wanted to go straight from Admin to Civilian but only Geoff can do the job, the Mods wanted to thank me behind the scenes and we also needed to hand over stuff to other Mods and Medusa that I currently do.

Unless, of course, you'd have preferred me to just high tail it and dump everything in a big pile. It may be the way some people deal with handing over responsibilities, but I believe in doing things right.

As for hidden agendas - let's not go there. There are a few people on here who definitely have hidden agendas and I won't be displeased to leave that crap behind.

People who remember me from before I was a Mod know that I didn't take too many prisoners then, and I'm looking forward to getting back to not suffering morons gladly now. I no longer have to be nice to people any more. :D

so does this mean you can get a BAN like the rest of us! :hihi: and we can all report you if you STEP out of line:hihi:

did anybody else have problems with the forum yesterday?

Yes - I did!

Why yes, we all did.....

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=264654

And office based productivity in Sheffield rocketed. :hihi:

And I dare say this was probably most notable at Sheffield City Council :)

That's really annoying. At 1.30pm yesterday I posted the Meaning Of Life and the definitive truth about whether or not we survive beyond the grave.
When the forum came back on, my post had vanished and now I've completely forgotten what I'd put. :confused:

And office based productivity in Sheffield rocketed. :hihi:

I believe it most certainly did!

I got through a weeks worth of back logged work, arranged all my meetings and read through the board papers!!! My productivity was sky high, I impressed everyone with my super working speed and sorted out my agenda for next week!!! :hihi: